Document 01

This is the oldest known reference of the word "Trionfi" in context to card playing, the payment was done at the 10th of February 1442 short after the death of Niccolo III., perhaps the production was ordered already by the new Signore of Ferrara, Leonello (perhaps indicating, that such experiments couldn't have happened under the reignment of Niccolo). Another possibility might be, that the Cary-Yale deck really was produced in October 1441 at the occasion of the marriage of Francesco Sforza and Bianca Maria and that this action induced an interest at the Ferrarese court to participate at this "modern" way of playing. The text notes the suits "cups", "swords", "coins" and "batons", which is missing in later entries of the Ferrarese account books. Perhaps this can be interpreted as a sign, that the whole composition of the deck is new in 1442. The price of 5 Lira per para (pack of cards) is equal to the salary for 2-3 monthes of work of a humble worker and around the 1/4 of a monthly income of a common noble man. Galioto de l'Asassino is the adminstrating person, he appears rather often till ca. 1457. Compare our excessive article Ferrara 1441.